Lewis.



A. A. BIRNIE & A; Hf DESILETS.

LEWIS.

981,365.. l l Patented Jan.10,14911.

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74 a \\\\\\\wumnjnl| I 4 4 a *www mf I a f i l? vmunummmnmww 74 nfrnsALEXANDER A. BIRNIE AND ALBERT I-I. DESILETS, OF EAST BARRE, VERMONT;

LEWIS.

Specifica-tion of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan.. 10, 1911..

Application filed April 16, 1910. Serial No. 555,773.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ALEXANDER A. BIRNIE and ALBERT H. Dnsrnn'rs,citizens of the United States, residing at East Barre, in the county of`Washington and State of Vermont, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Lewises, of which the following is a specification,reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in stonelewises and has for its object to provide a very simple device of thischaracter which is strong and durable, highly efficient in its use, andone which may be very economically produced.

Another object resides in the provision of a lewis or stone liftingdevice which may be very quickly arranged in the lewis hole of the stoneand securely grip the walls thereof, a key being adjustably carried bythe body of the lewis and adapted to wedge the same in the lewis hole,said key being so formed and arranged upon the shank of the lewis as topermit of its adjustment thereon whereby said key may be positioned outof the way when the lewis is being arranged in the stone.

ith-these and other objects in view, the invention consists of the novelfeatures of construction, combination and arrangement of partshereinafter fully described and claimed, and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of ourimproved lewis showing the same engaged with the stone to be lifted;Fig. 2 is an edge view of the lewis; Fig. 3 is a section taken on theline 3 3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4t is a detail perspective view of the keylink; Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the key; and Fig. 6 is adetail section taken on the plane indicated by the line 6 6 in Fig. 1.

Our invention relates to stone lifting devices, commonly termed lewises,and is adapted to be inserted into a hole drilled or otherwise formed inthe stone, said hole having a contracted outer end whereby the lewiswill wedge against the walls thereof when properly arranged and securelygrip the stone to suspend the same from the lifting chain while thestone is being moved from place to place.

Referring more particularly to the drawings forming a part of thisspecification, 5 indicates the wedge member or body of the device. Thiswedge member is formed with a substantially rectangular elongated shankportion 6 and the wedge plate proper 7. The wedge plate 7 is provided ineach face with a longitudinal concavity 7 whereby the plate may adaptitself to the unevenness of the walls of the lewis hole so that it maybe readily fitted into a, roughly drilled hole. Each of the longitudinaledges of theA plate 7 are obtusely inclined with relation to the shank 6as shown at 9, one of said edges,

however, having greater inclination than the other and said edge is alsorounded as shown at 9a for frictional engagement with one of the roundedend walls of the lewis hole. The longitudinal edges of the upper shankportion 6 of the wedge member are curved as shown at 8.

Upon the upper shank portion 6 of the wedge member v5 a rectangular link10 is slidably arranged. The downward movement of this link is limitedby the binding engagement of the obtusely inclined edge 9 of the wedgeplate 7 with one of the inner edges of the link. One end of this link iscentrally bifurcated, as at 11, said end being formed with transverseopenings 12 to receive a pin 13. Upon this pin 13 a key 1li1 is pivoted.Upon reference to Fig. 1, it will be noted that the upper end of the key14C is substantially semi-circular in form and is laterally extended toprovide a shoulder 11i. It will further be observed that the pin 13extends eccentrically through this rounded upper end of the key wherebya cam 15 is formed. This cam is adapted to bind upon the curvedlongitudinal edge 8 of the wedge member 5 to support the key in anelevated position, as indicated in dotted lines in said figure, wherebyit will be obvious that the wedge plate 7 may be much more easily andconveniently arranged in the lewis hole of the stone than would bepossible if means were not provided to support the key in its elevatedposition. The upper end of the shank 6 is formed with an eye 16 in whicha link 17 is arranged. This link is adapted to receive the hook of achain in the usual manner, and may be greatly varied in form, theparticular form shown in the accompanying drawings being one of manycommonly used.

A lewis constructed in the manner above set forth has been found to behighly efficient in its operation, the dangers incident to the liftingof heavy stones being eliminated and a device is provided which willeii'ectuallyv hold the stone in suspension while the same is beinglifted, its peculiar form obviating the liability of its release fromthe lewis hole. The device may be easily and quickly arranged in thelewis hole by rst elevating the link 10 and key 14 upon the shank of thewedge member, the key then being moved outwardly to engage the cam 15formed thereon with the longitudinal edge of the shank. The key is thusheld in an elevated position while the wedge platey 7 is positioned inthe lewis hole. After being properly arranged, the key 14 is releasedfrom its elevated position and moved downwardly on the shank togetherwith the link 10. rlhe key is forced into the opening in the stonebetween one of the vertical walls thereof and the inclined edge 9 of thewedge plate 7. As the key 14 is thus arranged in position, thelongitudinal edge thereof opposed to the edge of the wedge plate isfrictionally engaged upon said plate, said engaging surfaces beingperfectly flat. The other longitudinal edge of the key is rounded asshown at 14a similar to the inclined edge 9a of the wedge plate and isadapted to engage with the other end wall of the lewis hole. The keywhen securely forced into the opening and frictionally engaged with thewedge plate and the wall of the lewis hole will wedge said plate inposition between itself and the other vertical wall of the hole. Thebinding of the key and plate upon the walls of the hole and the pressureexerted thereon when the stone is lifted will tend to force the key andwedge plate into closer binding engagement with each other and with thewalls. Consequently, it will be apparent that it is not essential thatthe whole of the wedge plate 7 be positioned in the opening of thestone, thereby eliminating the necessity of cutting the hole of greatdepth, the key and the plate having the same binding engagement with thewalls of the opening at any point throughout their length.

From the foregoing it is believed that the construction and operation ofour improved lewis will be readily understood. In the use of a device ofthis character as at present constructed, it is necessary to exercisegreat care in the cutting of the lewis hole so that the key willproperly engage with the wall thereof to obtain the desired friction. Bymeans of our improved device, however, it is only necessary that therebe a single point of contact between the longitudinal edge of the keyand the edge of the wedge plate and the walls of the opening to lock thewedge plate therein against all possibility of its inadvertent oraccidental release. The shoulder 14 formed upon the key is adapted tolimit its inward movement into the lewis hole so that in the event thatthe hole is of greater depth than the key, the wedge plate 7 may bemoved upwardly through the link 1. A lewis comprising a wedge member,

a movable element associated with said wedge member, a key pivotallycarried by said element movable upon one edge of the wedge member, saidkey being movable to a position at right angles to the wedge member, andmeans for locking the key in such position.

2. A lewis comprising a wedge member, one end of said member havingdiverging longitudinal edges to form a wedge plate,

one of said edges being rounded, the edges of the remaining portion ofsaid member being parallel, a link movable on said member above thewedge plate, and a key pivotally mounted at one end in said link, saidrA key having a cam formed on its pivoted end adapted for bindingengagement with the wedge member to support said key thereon above thewedge plate, said key having one of its longitudinal edges rounded,the..

rounded edge of said key and wedge plate being adapted for frictionalengagement with the end walls of a lewis hole.

3. A lewis comprising a wedge member, a

.longitudinally movable element associated with said wedge member, a keypivotally carried by said el-ement disposed upon one edge of the wedgemember, said key being movable to a position at right angles to thewedge member, and a cam formed on thev pivoted end of the key to lockthe same and the movable element on said wedge member. 4. A lewiscomprising a wedge member having a wedge plate formed on one end,

said plate being provided in each face with.

a longitudinally extending concavity and having one of its edgesrounded, a link loiigitudinally movable upon the remaining portion ofthe wedge member, a key pivotally mounted at one end in the end of.V

said link and movable upon one of the longitudinal edges of the wedgeplate for binding engagement therewith, said key having a cam formedupon its pivoted end adapted forY binding engagement with the wedgemember when the key is moved outwardly therefrom whereby said key issupported on said member above the wedge plate, said key having ashoulder adjacent to its pivoted end for engagement with a stone tolimit its movement into the lewis hole, one of the longitudinal edges ofsaid key being rounded for engagement with the walls of the lewis hole.

5. A lewis Comprising a wedge member, a link longitudinally movable onsaid member, a key pivoted at one end to said link and disposed upon oneof the longitudinal edges of said member, said key being movableoutwardly from the link to a position at right angles to said wedgemember, and means for supporting said key and link upon the wedge memberagainst movement thereon.

(3. A lewis Comprising a wedge member,

y one end of said member being enlarged to form a wedge plate, a linklongitudinally movable on said member, a key pivoted in said link andadapted to be moved outwardly at a right angle to the wedge member, andmeans for holding the key in the latter position and preventinglongitudinal movement of the link on the wedge member.

In testimony whereof we hereunto affix our signatures in the presence oftwo Witnesses.

ALEXANDER A. BIRNIE. ALBERT H. DESILETS. Witnesses F. L. TUCKER, F. L.SARGENT.

